06.08 The large intestine

The large intestine is made up of 4 main regions, the caecum, colon, rectum and the anal canal (Figure 6.5). Its major digestive function is to absorb most of the remaining water in the gut and toeliminate the undigested food as faeces.

Figure 6.5 The gastrointestinal tract showing the large intestine (Copyright, QUT)

Acknowledgements

We thank Kaileen Lynch for the preparation of the figures.

References

Marieb, E.N. & Hoehn, K. (2010). Human Anatomy & Physiology. 8th Edition. Pearson

International Edition. Pearson Education Inc.

Saladin, K.S. (2010). Anatomy & Physiology. The Unity of Form and Function. 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

Tortora, G. J. & Derrickson, B. (2011). Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. 13th Edition. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.